Manu for $14 million

[davidbowie]

congrats manu, you deserve it!

[elemento]

Players with full Bird Rights on a one year contract, like Manu, can't be traded without their consent. He would lose that protection by adding a second year.

Mel

Any idea how much this extra for Manu costs in lux tax for San Antonio ?

[Solid D]

Nice post Wild Bill. I said something similar with regard to the entertainment value of paying a fortune to see the games. Something tells me I wasn't getting a refund if Manu were to walk. He and Tim have always put a lot of butts in the seats. They weren't going to play poker with his agent! Again, damn glad he's back and feel he deserves every penny! Go Manu!

Great perspective. I'm with you 100%, since Cousy was the first NBA player I tried to emulate as a young kid. Manu is an artist...and yes, he does make mistakes, but he is still amazing to watch.

[james evans]

some of y'all are really ty fans tbh. let Manu walk? seriously gtfo

Ginobli gave us some great years, but that man is 40 years old. Do you think the lakers would have matched Kobe had he tried this bull this year?

[james evans]

manu helps to draw the crowds in san antonio, and so will gasol.

drawing crowds dont win games or les. That's the same mistake George Shinn made in 1995 when he chose the dress wearing popular Larry Johnson over Mourning and the Hornets never recovered.

[Leetonidas]

Ginobli gave us some great years, but that man is 40 years old. Do you think the lakers would have matched Kobe had he tried this bull this year?

Yes I do. And its not like it matters as others have said its not really effecting spurs cap and its not our money. like I said before outside of Durant no one that great was available this summer. spurs are eyeing next summer

[urunobili]

Lol player fans putting Manu into money value.
So what's the price of being an icon of the team and leader off the bench?
Who's going to mentor Murray?
I'm only buying league pass and paraphernalia again because Manu is back with the Spurs. Thank you RC and the entire Spurs franchise for making this happen

[beirmeistr]

drawing crowds dont win games or les. That's the same mistake George Shinn made in 1995 when he chose the dress wearing popular Larry Johnson over Mourning and the Hornets never recovered.

you're absolutely right, but it does help pay the bills and basketball is a business.

[PublicOption]

With the salary cap this high this is not that much more money.

[Tully365]

He made 2.9 million last year. Now 14. so... 17/2 = 8.5 for 2 years, not so outrageous.
But besides all of that..
Especially with the Wade Fiasco in Miami.

It shows players... just what sort of character the Spurs Franchise is about. They took care of their pillars, Timmy and now Manu.
That just adds to the respect other FA will have for SA when considering it as a destination.
There will be trust.

[T Park]

just think of it as a make up for all of the money he left on the table from Denver in I think either 2004 or 2005. He turned down a bunch to come back.

[PingPong]

Ten million just to keep that thread "Will Manu Ginobili ever..." alive.

[BG_Spurs_Fan]

This makes Manu a trade-able contract. He can move to another team looking to salary dump and then be waived, unless they want him for veteran experience. If Philly wants him so bad, they're gonna have to give something up. Don't be surprised if Manu gets traded.

Exactly the opposite actually.

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Players with full Bird Rights on a one year contract, like Manu, can't be traded without their consent. He would lose that protection by adding a second year.

This http://basketball.about.com/od/colle...ird-rights.htm

[FuzzyLumpkins]

drawing crowds dont win games or les. That's the same mistake George Shinn made in 1995 when he chose the dress wearing popular Larry Johnson over Mourning and the Hornets never recovered.

Signing him for $4m doesn't help us sign other players. It only costs money not opportunity.

[Mnky]

Keep an eye out on Portland, they can surprise a few. Just need Tony to keep and stay in shape and the Spurs can make some noise.

I definitely like them coming up. Did they lose Crabbe?

[SpurOutofTownFan]

Back in the day, when I first became a season ticket holder during the first year of the franchise, I used to justify the cost of my tickets to the entertainment value I got from watching the Spurs. My mantra was that "Every game, Gervin will make some unbelieveable move and shot that will be worth the price of admission."

There aren't many players who can provide that entertainment value game after game, year after year. Only the legendary greats can do it. For all Timmy's greatness, his game and skills were so fundamentally pure that we seldom came out of our seats to cheer for a particular play. Parker often came close with his great finishes on drives to the basket.

Manu, however, is one of those players whose skills are off the charts for the spectacular plays that bring folks to their feet and that we talk about in the bars whenever we talk basketball. I've personally seen every great passer from Bob Cousy to Pete Maravich, but the greatest pass I EVER saw was when Manu was dribbling on a break downcourt along the sideline and made a bounce pass through the legs of a RUNNING defender between him and a teammate for a layup. What's the degree of difficulty on that? And that dunk in Game 5 on four Heat players to seal the lead is on a lot of folks sigs.

If you understand that pro basketball is an entertainment product, the value of a player like Manu to a franchise far transcends the won/lost record. It helps keep folks coming back to watch and appreciate what these marvelous athletes can do. And we can't. Not even in our dreams.

So if the last contract mixes his current playing time potential with a little love for his willingness to play from the bench while keeping his magnificent skills in San Antonio, it ill behooves anyone to challenge or dispute the decision of the front office. A little farewell bonus is well-deserved.

Great post - it's very difficult to explain stuff like this to brainless children like TGY

[SilverSpur]

He got paid for being a player/ coach and mentor to Murray.

[Chris]

It's a lot, but he deserves it.

[Mel_13]

Mel

Any idea how much this extra for Manu costs in lux tax for San Antonio ?

I believe that they're several million dollars below the tax threshold.

[vander]

Lol at those saying he's worth it because of how much he sacrificed for the Spurs. If he didn't play for Argentina almost every year, the Spurs definitely would have at least 6 championships. But he always put the Spurs 2nd.

[elemento]

I believe that they're several million dollars below the tax threshold.

can't find any reliable source since sham went down, but I used spotrac and you're right. They have the Spurs around 7-8m below. Thanks man.

[slick'81]

Lol at those saying he's worth it because of how much he sacrificed for the Spurs. If he didn't play for Argentina almost every year, the Spurs definitely would have at least 6 championships. But he always put the Spurs 2nd.

Its ok now he and tony make the same $$ so they can share the blame

[itsamanuthree]

Lol at those saying he's worth it because of how much he sacrificed for the Spurs. If he didn't play for Argentina almost every year, the Spurs definitely would have at least 6 championships. But he always put the Spurs 2nd.

Ha, you are pathetic

[SASdynasty!]

Spurs max extended Porker when he was declining in 2014.

Was that the same year he was our only All Star, only All-NBA player, and led the Spurs in scoring and assists throughout the regular season and playoffs, including bailing us out of our only elimination game and leading the team in scoring in the Finals on the way to another championship? I forget.